Lady Lark Must Die
by moonswirl
Summary: Gleekathon, day two hundred and eighty-one: Saturday night at the Hummel house... it's murder time.


_Started my daily ficlets to make the hiatus pass, then decided to keep going with a 2nd cycle, and then a 3rd, 4th, etc through 13th cycle. Now cycle 14!_

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**"Lady Lark Must Die"  
Kurt, Rachel, Mercedes, Brittany, Tina, Artie  
Sequel to "The Case of Lady Lark"  
Characters:  
**_Rachel as Cassandra "Lady Lark" Larkin & Tessa Larkin_  
_Kurt as Max Magnus_  
_Mercedes as Delia Vale_  
_Tina as Andy Sykes_  
_Brittany as Stella Franks_  
and  
_Artie as Detective Jim Winslow_

Saturday night, and the stage was set for dinner and a little murder… It was hard to know what to expect from the rest of the 'company,' but it was not time to reconsider any of it… especially since they were arriving.

The sign on the basement door was clear: the moment they went through that door, they left their true selves behind and became their characters. Artie was first to arrive, helped into the basement by both their fathers. On their own, Max Magnus the illusionist looked upon the detective, and the detective looked back… They weren't sure where to start.

A minute later, they heard the door, footsteps on the stairs, and they looked up. "Max, get the good detective a drink, he's our guest," came Andy Sykes the manager. It was for certain now that the Andy would stand for Andrea, judging from the clothes… The detective approved.

"Yes, ma'am," the illusionist, now a little more confident in the evening's potential, moved to get the drink, made to look like the real deal but harmless.

"Miss Sykes," the detective bowed his head in greeting. "Thank you for the invitation."

"Why, it's my pleasure," she assured him as he received his drink.

Next to arrive was the once-headlining performer of the act, Miss Delia Vale. Just coming down the stairs, she showed the regal stance she maintained, even now. She breezed past the others, throwing a look of disdain to her manager, which just barely evaded a break from character.

Shortly after came Max's assistant-in-training, Stella, looking indeed ready for the act, who went to her partner in illusions, giving him a small pouch – as her instructions had told her to do right away and within sight. Max tucked it under his jacket.

All were present now, all but one: the star of this and all evenings, Lady Lark. And after Stella, it was only a few minutes until the door opened from above and revealed the girl in all her glory, come to join them. She startled in brief surprise, seeing her secret beau was now a secret belle, but of course she rolled with the punches… and punches were not an unlikely possibility as he crossed Delia Vale and the two exchanged a pointed stare. She also had some looks toward the illusionist and his protégée, though they were of caution more than anger.

"Detective, if you would like to join us, we are about to sit to dinner. Max, make sure to add another plate; the detective is eating with us," Andy Sykes gave a nod to both of them as she spoke, not waiting on an answer. There was the screech of a chair being brusquely pulled, making everyone turn to see Lady Lark, staring across to the manager and looking vexed. She turned on the smile at seeing them all looking at him and took a seat. The others did the same, while Max, with Stella, ran upstairs to get dinner. Once all were served, they began to eat, talk.

Max kept hushed conversations with his makeup girl-turned-assistant Stella, throughout the meal. The gender switch on manager Andy Sykes had revealed a new thread in the story, an infatuation carried by the detective for the boss lady. This gave the other 'lady' of the house someone else to keep an eye on. She'd been busy enough keeping the stink eye stare off going with her rival Delia Vale, who always managed to get a hold of whatever Lady Lark attempted to reach for.

As dinner plates were replaced with dessert, and those were emptied, Miss Sykes raised her glass. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it's time for a show," she announced. "The house is packed," she held her glass pointed toward Lady Lark, giving a quick nod. The Lark smiled, just about the only one who did. Most of them worked to clear the table, while the headliner got ready to open the night. Her sweet tooth was notorious. More than the flowers, she appreciated the chocolate and the candy. Before every show, she would see to the treats sent to her by adoring fans.

The stage was set now, for the night to remember, the one they'd all recall as the night they saw a star burn out. The 'packed' house, counting the manager and the detective, and the 'backstage area' counting other performers and stage hands, were ready, so on came the music. The Lark began her last song, strong at first, commanding attention.

_[LL] "Why do I do, just as you say / Why must I just, give you your way / Why do I sigh, why don't I try - to forget_

_It must have been, that something lovers call fate / Kept me saying: "I have to wait" / I saw them all, just couldn't fall - 'til we met"_

As the song progressed though, there was something wrong, something which started taking a hold of her, distracting her from her song, even though she fought to hold on and keep going.

_[LL] "It had to be you, it had to be you / I wandered around, and finally found - the somebody who / Could make me be... true, and could... make me be... blue / A-and even be glad, just to be... sad - thinking of you_

_Some others I've seen, might... never be mean / Might never be... cross, or-or try to be boss / But... they wouldn't do / For no… body else, gave me a-a thrill - with all your faults, I-I love you... still / It had... to be you, won-wonderful you / It... had to be…"_

The words muted, her throat shut… She staggered along for a moment before collapsing on the stage. There were gasps all around, as the manager rushed up to check on her star.

"Lark… L… Cassandra," she tried to raise her, but she got no reaction. Andy looked around. "She's dead!" she called out, to more gasps.

"Step away from the body, Miss Sykes," Detective Winslow wheeled up, silencing them. "This is murder."

TO BE CONTINUED (NEXT CYCLE)

_And on my way out, a little survey of sorts! It's for something to come later ;)_

_Give me a show you love the episode titles from [you can put along 3 to 5 of those episode titles along with it!]_

_[Thanks Lola-Ladybug13!]_

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**_[A/N: This is a one-shot ficlet, story alert won't get you anything! ;)]_**


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